Transistor

A transistor is a semiconductor device used to amplify or switch electrical signals or power. It is one of the core building blocks of modern electronics.

Device identification

Joint Electron Device Engineering Council (JEDEC)

JEDEC prefix table

Prefix	Type and usage
1N	Two terminal devices, such as diodes
2N	Three terminal devices, such as transistors or single-gate field-effect transistors
3N	Four terminal devices, such as dual-gate field-effect transistors

Japanese Industrial Standard (JIS)

JIS transistor prefix table

Prefix	Type and usage
2SA	High-frequency PNP BJT
2SB	Audio-frequency PNP BJT
2SC	High-frequency NPN BJT
2SD	Audio-frequency NPN BJT
2SJ	P-channel FET (both JFET and MOSFET)
2SK	N-channel FET (both JFET and MOSFET)

European Electronic Component Manufacturers Association (EECA)

EECA transistor prefix table

Prefix	Type and usage	Example	Equivalent
AC	Germanium, small-signal AF transistor	AC126	NTE102A
AD	Germanium, AF power transistor	AD133	NTE179
AF	Germanium, small-signal RF transistor	AF117	NTE160
AL	Germanium, RF power transistor	ALZ10	NTE100
AS	Germanium, switching transistor	ASY28	NTE101
AU	Germanium, power switching transistor	AU103	NTE127
BC	Silicon, small-signal transistor ("general purpose")	BC548	2N3904
BD	Silicon, power transistor	BD139	NTE375
BF	Silicon, RF (high frequency) BJT or FET	BF245	NTE133
BS	Silicon, switching transistor (BJT or MOSFET)	BS170	2N7000
BL	Silicon, high frequency, high power (for transmitters)	BLW60	NTE325
BU	Silicon, high voltage (for CRT horizontal deflection circuits)	BU2520A	NTE2354
CF	Gallium arsenide, small-signal microwave transistor (MESFET)	CF739	—
CL	Gallium arsenide, microwave power transistor (FET)	CLY10	—